Why do vets suggest 3 meals for young puppies, but 2 seems fine?

You simply start giving him more food per feeding just twice a day instead of smaller meals 3 times a day. Make sure you are feeding the correct total amount between the two feedings. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

While young small breed dogs can develop toy breed hypoglycemia, it would be rare for an adult dog to have this problem and require frequent meals. I think twice a day is probably just fine for both dogs as long as they don’t have any other medical problems.

I would recommend feeding3-4 times a day at this age, if his appetite is poor then he will not be able to consume enough nutrition in two large meals. I do not recommend home preparing diets, especially in large and giant breed puppies with a risk of joint and bone disorders developing as they mature due to nutrient deficiencies and or excesses. It is practically impossible to mix some added protein and supplements to a high quality pupy food and expect the diet to become balanced. Consult a specialist nutritionist for specific tailored large breed puppy diets if you wish to cook for Dante

At his age it is not ideal because their blood sugar can get too low in the middle of the day. If it's unavoidable however, it is ok. Because of his high rate of growth, a quality diet labeled for puppies- especially large breed puppy- is the best thing for him. Congrats on your new little one and kisses to Max!

I understand how confusing it can be to read and obtain conflicting information. Since Wallace is only 2 months old and is so small, I generally recommend feeding at least 3-4 times per day. The purpose of more frequent feeding at a young age and small size is to maintain an adequate blood glucose (sugar) at all times. Very small, young dogs are at a risk of developing hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) that can lead to lethargy, weakness, or even seizures if they do not eat frequently. Continue feeding Wallace the same volume of food, but divide it into 3-4 meals per day rather than 2 for the next month or so. Around 5-6 months of age, you can decrease his feeding frequency to twice daily. Just remember to keep an eye on the chart that is found on your bag of food since the volume of food that Wallace will need will change as he gets older and larger. I hope this helps and that all goes well for Wallace! :-)

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! While changing the routine is not likely going to upset her belly, it is really not necessary. Feeding a puppy twice daily is perfectly appropriate as long as the total amount of food per day is right. Good luck and have a great day!

At this age it is expected for your puppy to eat less. Usually between 6-8 months of age puppies have less calorie requirement and will go from needing three meals daily to two meals daily. As long as she continues to eat dualy, act normal and is playful there likely isn’t anything to worry about. Best wishes and take care.